Starting sentences with an adverb

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Nightmare85

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Hello,
I know there are different adverbs.
Right now I'm talking about adverbs that describe verbs, not whole sentences.
Unfortunately, the train never arrived. (I hope it's okay because it describes the whole sentence.)

As already said I'm talking about other adverbs:
Drive my car carefully to my father!
Carefully drive my car to my father!
Get the books quickly because we need them now!
Quickly get the books because we need them now!
Think about a solution smartly or else you will never solve this problem.
Smartly think about a solution or else you will never solve this problem.

I try to put adverbs before verbs as often as I can.
However, all green sentences sound a bit strange to me.

What do you think?

Cheers!
 

1984law

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:lol:
Hello,
I know there are different adverbs.
Right now I'm talking about adverbs that describe verbs, not whole sentences.
Unfortunately, the train never arrived. (I hope it's okay because it describes the whole sentence.)

As already said I'm talking about other adverbs:
Drive my car carefully to my father!
Carefully drive my car to my father!
Get the books quickly because we need them now!
Quickly get the books because we need them now!
Think about a solution smartly or else you will never solve this problem.
Smartly think about a solution or else you will never solve this problem.

I try to put adverbs before verbs as often as I can.
However, all green sentences sound a bit strange to me.

What do you think?

Cheers!
Hi, nightmare 85.
I think you are right. One can use certain adverbs such as however, but or expressions such as all in all, or in coclusion to begin a sentence especiallly when one is writing an essay or a letter. But as you already have noticed carefully or quickly, smarty are not making any sense.
If you were to paraphrase the green sentences, you should use a modal.
Example :I should carefully drive my car to my father.
Hope I have been helpful
 

Nightmare85

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German
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Germany
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Germany
Thanks, however it would completely change the meaning if I used your advice with modal verbs.
All these sentences are orders that you get from someone.
(That's why I used the "!" )

Cheers!
 

TheParser

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Hello,
I know there are different adverbs.
Right now I'm talking about adverbs that describe verbs, not whole sentences.
Unfortunately, the train never arrived. (I hope it's okay because it describes the whole sentence.)

As already said I'm talking about other adverbs:
Drive my car carefully to my father!
Carefully drive my car to my father!
Get the books quickly because we need them now!
Quickly get the books because we need them now!
Think about a solution smartly or else you will never solve this problem.
Smartly think about a solution or else you will never solve this problem.

I try to put adverbs before verbs as often as I can.
However, all green sentences sound a bit strange to me.

What do you think?

Cheers!


***NOT A TEACHER***

Good afternoon.

(1) You have asked another very good question.


(2) I feel that your third sentence ("Smartly think about a solution") sounds strange, but I cannot explain why.
(a) It may be the word "smartly."
(b) I feel that the word should modify the noun, not the verb: Think about a smart/clever/shrewd solution, or the problem will never be solved.

(3)Your first and second sentences seem OK.

(4) Yes, they do seem a bit "strange," and I searched for an answer.

(5) One expert had an interesting idea:

(a) Sometimes if the adverb is at the end, you are asking for a favor. If the adverb is at the front, you are giving instructions.

(i) Please drive my car carefully. = (maybe) a request. If you have an accident, I won't have a car, Then I'll have to take the bus until I get the car repaired. And I hate taking the bus. So please, please, drive my car carefully.

(ii) (Very) carefully drive my car. = (maybe) giving instructions to the driver. I have been having problems with my car. When I drive too fast, the engine starts to smoke. So please, please, very carefully drive my car, or it will break down, and you will have to call a tow truck.


(iii) You want someone to drive to your father's home. So maybe (maybe), your sentence sounds a bit "strange" because you are asking a favor, not telling him how to drive your car.

(iv) Let's use the same idea for your second sentence:

(a) Please get the books quickly because we have to start the test in two minutes. Since it's a request, maybe it's better to put the adverb at the end.

(b) Quickly, get the books now! (The house is on fire. If you don't get the books right now, the fire will destroy them.)

(c) Your sentence seems to be a request (we need them now), so maybe (maybe) the adverb would sound more "natural" at the end.

(6) All of your sentences are imperatives (orders). That's why you are having this "problem."

(7) If they were "regular" sentences, we wouldn't have such a problem:

(a) Tom carefully drives his car./ Tom drives his car carefully./ Carefully, Tom drives his car.

(i) The experts say that putting the adverb at the front is only in writing, not in conversation. It makes the sentence more dramatic.

Thanks for your great question. Have a nice day.
 

kfredson

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Member Type
Academic
***NOT A TEACHER***

Good afternoon.

(1) You have asked another very good question.


(2) I feel that your third sentence ("Smartly think about a solution") sounds strange, but I cannot explain why.
(a) It may be the word "smartly."
(b) I feel that the word should modify the noun, not the verb: Think about a smart/clever/shrewd solution, or the problem will never be solved.

(3)Your first and second sentences seem OK.

(4) Yes, they do seem a bit "strange," and I searched for an answer.

(5) One expert had an interesting idea:

(a) Sometimes if the adverb is at the end, you are asking for a favor. If the adverb is at the front, you are giving instructions.

(i) Please drive my car carefully. = (maybe) a request. If you have an accident, I won't have a car, Then I'll have to take the bus until I get the car repaired. And I hate taking the bus. So please, please, drive my car carefully.

(ii) (Very) carefully drive my car. = (maybe) giving instructions to the driver. I have been having problems with my car. When I drive too fast, the engine starts to smoke. So please, please, very carefully drive my car, or it will break down, and you will have to call a tow truck.


(iii) You want someone to drive to your father's home. So maybe (maybe), your sentence sounds a bit "strange" because you are asking a favor, not telling him how to drive your car.

(iv) Let's use the same idea for your second sentence:

(a) Please get the books quickly because we have to start the test in two minutes. Since it's a request, maybe it's better to put the adverb at the end.

(b) Quickly, get the books now! (The house is on fire. If you don't get the books right now, the fire will destroy them.)

(c) Your sentence seems to be a request (we need them now), so maybe (maybe) the adverb would sound more "natural" at the end.

(6) All of your sentences are imperatives (orders). That's why you are having this "problem."

(7) If they were "regular" sentences, we wouldn't have such a problem:

(a) Tom carefully drives his car./ Tom drives his car carefully./ Carefully, Tom drives his car.

(i) The experts say that putting the adverb at the front is only in writing, not in conversation. It makes the sentence more dramatic.

Thanks for your great question. Have a nice day.

This is an extremely helpful, well developed post. Thank you! I would only way that the second sentence, "Quickly get the books..." would not be an unusual thing to say when speaking in front of a class of teenagers, at least where I live. It simply begins with a word that emphasizes that we want to get on with things in a prompt manner. Sometimes a little polite prompting is necessary, although surely not with adults!

The problem with "smartly," in my mind, is that it is not a word which is used in the imperative, at least not in the U.S.
 
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